Coin handling device



Nov. 1, 1966 Original Filed Oct. 10, 1961 R GRIESEMER ET AL COIN HANDLING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS RAYMOND H. GRIESEMER WESLEY A. GOLLAND ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1966 GRIESEMER ETAL 3,282,272

COIN HANDLING DEVICE Original Filed on. 10, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 GRIESEMER GOLLAND INVENTORS RAYMOND H. WESLEY A.

BY W M M ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1966 GRESEMER 3,282,272

COIN HANDLING DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 10, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 RAYMOND H. GRIESEMER WESLEY A. GOLLAND ATTORNEYS INVENTORS United States Patent 3,282,272 COIN HANDLING DEVICE Raymond H. Grieserner, Park Ridge, and Wesley A. Golland, Franklin Park, 11]., assignors to Johnson Fare Box Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Original application Oct. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 144,075, now Patent No. 3,239,737, dated Mar. 8, 1966. Divided and this application Aug. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 483,189

4 Claims. (Cl. 133-1) This application is a divisional of our co-pending ap plication, Serial No. 144,075, filed October 10, 1961, now Patent No. 3,239,737, granted March 8, 1966, and to which reference is hereby made for further explanation.

This invention relates to a Coin Handling Device, and

, particularly to a coin device which will count the coins,

register the total number of coins counted in a monetary value or unitized denominational count, print the totalized dollars and centson a revenue receipt, and sort the coins into their proper denominations. more particularly relates to a coin handling conveyor.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved conveyor for a coin handling device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coin handling machine having a coin hopper capable of holding more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) in a mixture of quarters, dimes and nickels, and provided with an automatic feed which is jam proof.

In order to understand clearly the matter of the invention, and the best means for carrying it out, reference may now be had to the drawings in which like numerals denote similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the coin handling device with the vault door open to illustrate the dime, nickel and quarter vaults;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view with the cabinet cut away to illustrate parts of the coin handling device;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 33 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the conveyor assembly shown in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit used in combination with the apparatus of the other figures.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, the reference numeral 21 designates the coin handling device which is adapted to be permanently mounted in a vendors truck and will operate off the battery or its electrical system. The housing 23 is provided with a hopper 25, adapted to receive a batch of mixed coins of quarters, dimes and nickels. The housing 23 is provided with an opening 27, to receive a guide member 29 having a slot 31, to receive a ticket or revenue receipt 33. A slot 35 is formed-in the front of the housing 23 to permit actuation of the print arm 37 by the handle 39. A U-shaped slot 41 is formed in the front of the housing 23 to permit actuation of the opening and closing lever 43 by the handle 45. The bottom portion of the housing forms a compartment. to receive the dime vault 47, nickel vault 49 and quartervault 51. A support 53 is secured to the door 55 to prevent the vaults from moving in the compartment when the device is in route. The door 55 is provided with a conventional lock mechanism 57 to lock the door so that access to the vaults can be obtained only by authorized personnel.

Mounted on the front of the housing 23 is indicia 20 bearing the word open and indicia 30 bearing the word closed to designate the position of the opening and closing handle 45. Further features and details of the The invention ice machine are given in Patent No. 3,239,737 mentioned hereinabove. 1

Referring to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, the reference numeral 59 designates the conveyor which is driven by a motor 61 through a drive mechanism 63. The conveyor belt 65 is mounted on a pair of rollers 67 and 69. The roller 69 is driven by the shaft 71 connected to the coupling mechanism 63. Tension is maintained on the roller 67 by a spring 73 which is mounted on a rod 75, which is disposed between a collar 77 and nut 79. The tension on the spring 73 may be adjusted by tightening or loosening the nut 79. A slot 81 is provided in the support member 83 to slidably receive the shaft 85 which supports the roller 67. The conveyor assembly 59 is mounted to the frame 87 by L-shaped supports 89 and 83. It should be noted that the hopper 25 is provided with side walls 91 that slope downwardly and terminate in a rectangular opening 93 which is slightly smaller than the width of the conveyor belt 65. This will prevent any coins from becoming lodged between the frame and the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt 65 transfers the coins from the hopper 25 to a conventional coin counter 101 through a coin chute 95 which is secured to the conveyor assembly 59 by means of L-shaped supports 97 and 99.

The details of the coin counter are not shown and described in view of the fact that the mechanism is shown in Patent No. 1,295,900, issued to I. M. Johnson.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, the terminal lines are designated by reference numerals 311 and 313. For the purpose of this illustration, the terminal line 313 will be considered the positive, and the terminal line 311 will be considered negative. It has been found in actual practice that the batteries in trucks are not uniformly grounded, and it is necessary to determine which post is grounded before the coin handling device is connected thereto. The black jumpers, on the drawing, 315, are used when the positive post of the battery is grounded. The white jumper 317 is used when the negative post of the battery is grounded.

If we assume that the opening and closing lever is moved from the closed position to the open position, the switch 205 is closed and a timer initiating circuit is energized from terminal 311, switch 205, line 319, switch 237, line 321, line 323, line 325, capacitor 327, resistor 329, line 331, line 333 and line 313. The capacitor now becomes charged to full supply voltage.

The print arm 37 is moved from left to right to position 235, thus moving the switch arm 237 from contact 335 to contact 337. A timing circuit is initiated through terminal line 311, switch 205, line 319, switch 237, line 339, line 341, relay coil 343, transistor 345, line 347, line 333 and line 313. When the relay 343 is energized, switch 344 is closed.

A base control circuit is established from the capacitor 327, line 325, line 323, line 349, resistor 351, and transistor 345, line 347, line 333, line 331 and resistor 329. The base control circuit serves to bias the transistor allowing it to conduct current to establish a timing circuit for approximately four (4) minutes. The counting mechanism motor 117 is energized through line 311, switch 205, line 319, switch 344, line 353, counting motor 117, and line 355 to terminal line 313.

The conveyor motor 61 is energized through lines 311, switch 205, line 319, switch 344, line 357, switch 359, line 361, switch 363, line 365, coil 367, line 369, switch 371 and line 373 to terminal line 313.

The counting motor is provided with a reversing cam 375 .which will permit switch 363 and switch 371 to be positioned on contacts 377 and 379 respectively for a rotation period of 240 of the mot 0F The cam 375-will move the switches 363 and 371 to contacts 381 and 383 respectively for a period of 120 to reverse the polarity of the field of the motor 61, thereby reversing the conveyor which will move the coins backwardly away from the slot opening thus preventing a jamming condition. When the switches 363 and 371 are on contacts 381 and 383 respectively, a circuit is energized through line 311, switch 205, line 319, switch 344, line 357, switch 359, line 3361, contact 385, line 3337, contact 383, switch 371, line 369, field 367, line 355, switch 363, contact 381 and line 389 to the terminal line 313.

The armature 391 is in parallel with the field through line 3111, switch 205, line 319, switch 344, line 357, switch 359, line 361, contact 385, line 393, armature 391 and line 395 to the terminal line 313.

When coins are placed in the hopper 25 and progress into the counter hopper, a hopper leveling circuit is energized through terminal line 313, line 397, coin 399, hopper switch 401, line 403, line 405, line 407, relay coil 409, line 411, line 413, line 339, contact 337, switch 237, line 319, switch 205 to terminal line 311. When relay coil 409 is energized, switch 359 will be opened and the single-pole double-throw switch 415 will be moved from contact 417 to contact 419. The capacitor 421 will be charged through line 313, line 397, coin 399, hopper switch 401, line 403, line 405, line 423, capacitor 421, resistor 425, line 427, line 413, line 339 switch 237 and line 319 to terminal line 311. It should be noted that the hopper switch 401 is positioned on the side wall of the hopper (FIGURE 2) so that it will serve as a leveling switch. When the coins reach this predetermined level to energize the hopper leveling circuit, the release operating switch 359 is open, thus de-energizing the circuit to the conveyor motor 61 whereby no more coins are fed to the hopper.

As pointed out above, when the hopper leveling circuit is energized, the single-pole double-throw switch 415 moves to contact 419, thereby recharging capacitor 327 through line 311, switch 205, line 319, switch 237, line 339, switch 415, line 429, line 325, capacitor 327, resistor 329, line 331 and line 333 to the terminal line 313. The capacitor is now charged and will operate for approximately another four minutes to turn on the transistor 345. The capacitor 421 serves as a time delay dropout for the relay coil 409 and will keep it energized for approximately two to four seconds, thus avoiding the relays response to each coin as it bounces past the hopper switch and establishing an average level signal.

A pall switch 431 (FIGURES 3 and 17) is disposed in position to be actuated by the coins on the pickup plate of the counter 101. As the coins pass the pall switch, they will move the switch from contact 433 to contact 435 and charge the capacitor 327 through line 311, switch 205, line 319, switch 237, line 339, switch 415, line 437, switch 431 (contact 435), line 439, line 325, capacitor 327, resistor 329, line 331 and line 333 to terminal line 313.

When all the coins have been counted, the light 441 will be energized through terminal line 311, switch 205, line 319, switch 237, line 339, switch 415, line 437, switch 431, contact 433, light 441, line 443 and line 333 to terminal line 313. When the light 441 is continually en-- ergized, it will indicate that a complete counting cycle has been accomplished and the hopper is empty.

OPERATION The hopper 25 is of substantial size and may hold as much as one hundred dollars in mixed coins. When the print arm is moved to the right, switch 237 will move to contact 337 thus energizing relay 343, closing switch 344 whereby the conveyor motor 61 and counting motor 117 are energized. The conveyor motor 61 will rotate the conveyor belt 65 approximately 240 forward moving the coins in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 2, thereby transferring a portion of the coins through slot 26 to a chute 95 which directs the coins to the counter hopper 101. The cam 375 mounted on the counting motor 117 will operate switches 363 and 371 to reverse the field of the conveyor motor 61 so that the conveyor will rotate approximately 120 counterclockwise, thus moving the coins away from the slot 26 which prevents a jamming condition of the coins at the slot. The counter operates substantially the same as that illustrated in the Patent No. 1,295,900 issued to J. M. Johnson. A hopper switch 401 is mounted in the coin hopper and functions to deenergize the conveyor motor 61 when a predetermined level of coins is received in the counter hopper by energizing relay 409 which opens switch 359, thus breaking the circuit to the conveyor motor 61. When the coins drop below the predetermined level, relay 409 will be de-energized, and the switch 359 will again close to energize the conveyor motor 51. The pall switch 431 is mounted in close proximity to the coin pickup wheel (not shown) and is adapted to be actuated by each coin as it passes through the counter. The pall switch functions to keep the counter operating until the last coin has passed therethrough. To insure that the coin handling device will continue to operate while a coin is either in the hopper, the sorter, or the counting mechanism hopper, the four-minute time cycle established by the transistor 345 and capacitor 327 is utilized.

In order to prevent damage to the counting mechanism, if an operator attempts to make a closing print reading while the coins are still being counted, and to properly position the route revenue receipt relative to the print arm, electrical interlocks have been provided. For example, if the operating lever 43 is actuated, switch 205 is opened and all circuits are broken and the counting motor 117 and conveyor motor 61 are de-energized. If the print arm 37 and locking lever 43 are not in the proper relative position to insure that the mechanical locks 133 and 135 are in proper position, either switch 237 or 205 breaks the counting motor 117 or conveyor motor 61 circuits.

Although we have described our invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

We claim:

1. A sub-combination comprising:

(a) a conveyor adapted to be mounted in a coin handling device for conveying coins from one location therein to structure at a second location therein,

(b) a first roller and a second roller having an endless belt disposed around said rollers,

(c) means for adjusting the second roller to place ten sion on the endless belt,

((1) drive means for rotating one of said rollers,

(e) control means for said drive means, said control means adapted to permit the drive means to rotate the roller substantially 240 in a forward direction and in a reverse direction substantially 120 so that coins will not become jammed between the endless belt and the second location structure.

2. In a coin handling device having an input hopper for receiving coins of various characteristics, a counter hopper and structure for receiving coins from said input hopper, and a counting mechanism for receiving and counting coins from said counter hopper, the improvement comprisingf (a) a conveyor positioned for movement between said input hopper and said counter hopper; (b) drive means operatively connected to said conveyor for moving said conveyor in a selected direction; (c) and control means operatively connected to said drive means for causing said drive means to alternately operate in a forward direction for a predetermined time and to operate in a reverse direction for a predetermined time, thereby alternately moving said conveyor in one direction to convey coins from said input hopper to said counter hopper, and moving said conveyor in the reverse direction to prevent coins thereon from jamming with said structure. 7

3. The improvement of claim 2, and further comprising: means connected to said control means and adapted to be connected to said counting mechanism for rendering said control means operative in response to operation of said counting mechanism and for rendering said control means inoperative and stopping said drive means in 10 response to stopping of said counting mechanism.

4. The improvement of claim 3, and further comprising: means connected to said control means and adapted 6 to be connected to said counter hopper for rendering said control means inoperative and stopping said drive means in response to a predetermined quantity of coins in said counter hopper.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1920 Hamill 198-410 3/1961 Sheetz 198110 

1. A SUB-COMBINATION COMPRISING: (A) A CONVEYOR ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN A COIN HANDLING DEVICE FOR CONVEYING COINS FROM ONE LOCATION THEREIN TO STRUCTURE AT A SECOND LOCATION THEREIN, (B) A FIRST ROLLER AND A SECOND ROLLER HAVING AN ENDLESS BELT DISPOSED AROUND SAID ROLLERS, (C) MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE SECOND ROLLER TO PLACE TENSION ON THE ENDLESS BELT, (D) DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING ONE OF SAID ROLLERS, (E) CONTROL MEANS FOR SAID DRIVE MEANS, SAID CONTROL MEANS ADAPTED TO PERMIT THE DRIVE MEANS TO ROTATE THE ROLLER SUBSTANTIALLY 240* IN A FORWARD DIRECTION AND IN A REVERSE DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY 120* SO THAT COINS WILL NOT BECOME JAMMED BETWEEN THE ENDLESS BELT AND THE SECOND LOCATION STRUCTURE. 